My mom has started developing bedsores. Any ideas?

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My mom has started developing bedsores. Any ideas?

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Hi Reverserole- No, we don't move Mom all night long. Thankfully, she sleeps wonderfully. But as soon as she wakes up I'm in there, turning her but usually not changing her for 7-8 hours if it's nighttime. When I hear her at night, I usually give her a drink of water and turn her. During the day she's checked and changed more often. I stay 'on' the other caregivers like a mad dog about skin care/prevention. (Those include my 2 exceptional brothers). I'm nice about it. So far, no sores. The first sign is a pink area where the 'pressure' is impeding circulation. IF you see this, rub AROUND, but not ON, the pink area and get her off that area for the next 12 hrs. We chart what side Mom is lying on, to make sure she gets enough change in her positions. She's only on her back when she's semi-sitting up to eat. Then, right back onto one or the other side. She gravitates onto her back if not propped with pillows. She's only about 110 lbs (if that) and she used to be a big hefty woman. The pillows are needed because she can't 'balance' on her bony hips, they keep her knees from banging together and keep her spine from going into a twist...

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I would be monitoring her fingertip O2 saturation. For my daughter there was a steady decline in O2 and an increase in heart rate, and sinking blood pressure. No one can tell you how much time she has, but fragile skin and lack of blood flow that breaks into open wounds indicates the system is shutting down.

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My grandmother had a full sheep-skin rug that was under her. It covered the entire top of her bed. It is the fleece side next to her skin. She did not get bed sores although she was confined to her bed for months before her death. Here's a link to one supplier of medical sheep skin. I don't know how good they are, I just googled it. http://lovemysheepskin.com/shop/deluxe-double-medical-sheepskin-pad-xl/

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An air mattress that blows air up & deflates every couple of minutes is helpful. Once bedsores develop, they are very difficult to heal & it takes quite some time for them to heal. The goal is to prevent them from occurring. The sheepskin heel cups that others have mentioned are helpful. They also make sheepskin pads for under the sacrum. I suspect since her food/fluid intake is not good, that she is thin---when the bones of the sacrum & hips protrude, bedsores are far more likely to occur & more difficult to heal because the tissue is being poked by the bones all the time.

It sounds like your mom is nearing the end of life. It also sounds like you are doing everything you can for her, and that's all you can do. Keep her comfortable. Give her fluids. Sing to her. Hold her hand. Touch her. Rub her gently. Kiss her. Hug her. She can't talk, but she can still feel.

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I am a retired occupational therapist who previously worked with children with frail health who were also multiply disabled. We changed their position every 20 to 30 minutes to prevent bedsores, circulation issues, etc. Their are many commercial products to assist with positioning but creative use of different kinds of pillows as well as rolled towels, and even stuffed animals can be used to support an individual while side lying or whatever. I also recommend putting a pillow between her knees to align her hips which will increase her comfort while side lying. A big teddy bear can be quite comforting to put her arms around (placed by you if needed). Its like cuddling but without the weight of another person. I would only recommend this if she appears to like this. I have found that a product called TriDerma for ulcerative skin issues (bed sores) can be very helpful with healing. But I would only use this with a doctor's approval. Putting an egg crate mattress pad on top of the inflating/deflating mattress might also help. Gentle massage (using a lotion that doesn't irritate) may improve her circulation thus healing and who doesn't enjoy a massage. These are my "off of the top of my head" suggestions. If I come up with anything else I will let you know. I am at the very early stage of Frontotemporal Dementia and hope my family will be able to care for me as well as you are trying to care for your mom. Hospice is wonderful for being supportive and relieving pain so be sure they are aware of these issues. They should be able to access positioning equipment. Also you may want to investigate anything you can add to her smoothies that can help her body to heal. I hope she and you are able to have peace and comfort at this difficult time.

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Patrice, if you do decide to do a File on your computer, just open a Folder File on top of your desktop (screen.) Right click an empty space and open a New File and just name it: AgingCare. Then if you need info, you can find it immediately. I have several files inside that main file. I've already added this discussions link to the file under 'bedsores.'

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You turn her all night Momcare 8223? My moms on her bum 24/7 and in bed 14 hours a night, I never turn her. Shes 93 and cannot walk or talk or turn either. The only thing I saw was red on her heel side and I got the dermasaver heel protectors. Good luck to all.

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Hi- I also have a bedbound mother who can't roll herself over and is incontinent. We have been using a barrier cream to prevent the sores and have been lucky so far. I also recommend NOT using home remedies, such as honey. You don't want to inadvertently make matters worse. Of course we always move her from side to side, with pillows behind her back and between her knees. I've found that those heel cups never stay on so we use thick fluffy socks which don't come off and provide lots of padding. I can tell you that once bedsores begin, they are very hard to 'cure' and probably all you can do is keep doing what you're doing. If she isn't eating well, the lack of nourishment is further complicating the healing process. You are probably already aware that it's getting closer to the end if she isn't eating. Keep her as comfortable as you can and keep providing the good care you are, but perhaps it's time to reassess the situation. Best of luck.

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lindaz. Your mom sounds just like my mom in every way except the bedsores. I use dermasaver pads. Go to dermasaver.com or hipsavers.com and you can find all you need there, they are excellent. One more suggestion is I boil then puree 2 eggs with milk to puree and feed my Mom that for protein. You can also take a yogurt and puree with a peeled chopped up apple. I puree yogurt and muffins (little milk)for her suppers. I wonder if that air mattress is hurting her. I bought a memory foam mattress and have the derma saver pad under her behind and back area. Good luck!

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You can "float" the heels. Put pillows under her legs and let the heels hang over the pillows, thus called "floating"..There should be no pressure on the heels...Ask the Dr. if she needs some pro mod to put in the shakes- its extra protein to help heal wounds..also sometimes vitamin C and zinc by mouth helps...

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Thanks bookluvr good advice. i use my phone but guess I should start using my big computer. Maybe if I look at this site on a bigger screen I can figure more things out.

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Patrice, like you, I find some great answers. Unfortunately, once a discussion dies down to no more activity, it goes in the back burner. I recently tried to find one by the search engine (top right), and had a very difficult time finding it. Fortunately, I keep notes on my laptop. I even downloaded a Note App which I also use to keep notes.

On my laptop, I created some Microsoft Word notes..like caregiving tips... dysfunction.. boundaries .... AC Funnies ...etc..I highlight, copy and paste the comments or the website location (www.agingcare.com/questions/....) It to my Word note file or to my kindle note app.

It is one of the best thing I did when I found this site about 2 years ago. I have fallen back to these notes when something comes up with dad. The stage that he hasn't reached, and now he is, I'm so glad that I can find it in my laptop notes to quickly take me to that exact discussion thread 15 months ago but not active today.

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Medihoney, 80 percent honey, is one of the best wound healers used now. Have always heard of honey used as an antiinflammatory agent in natural healing so it appears that is being recognized now.

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Maria, all those sites thst say bedsore are neglect are lawyer sites. You are doing everything you can at the end of mom's life. Not you fault!!!! Hugs!

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Bed sores and the like come from pressure areas. Your Mum is in bed all day and the pressure areas come from lying in the same position all the time. Can you use pillows under her feet? Booties are a good idea, it protects the heels. The other thing, can she be turned at all from one side to the other? That would relieve pressure areas. It can take 2 people to turn an elderly person, but it would certainly help her. All the best.

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you can speak to the nurse and since the dr comes home , the heel booties ( there are many types ) are something you could request and almost all insurance will cover those esp if its prescribed . the other thing is the duoderm patches and you r already using the siverdone cream and the air mattress . I know that the duoderm patches really help since ive used them on both my parents . also if u can get a wound care nurse to come in from the hospice you r with she should be able to bring them . thats pretty much what i know . all the best to you and your mother and the family . i will send good vibes your way .

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I would love to save these answers for future reference. Fairly new to this site. How long Are questions and answers accessible?

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We used the special air mattress (might be what you were referring to) for mom last year when she had a bed ulcer. It had a motor and air circulated through it. We still use the heel covers, maybe sheep's wool. They cover the heel and have a velcro closure. This may be what you have already tried. Sounds like you are doing all you can. I'm glad you have help through hospice and a great doctor. Wishing you and your mom the best. Saying a prayer for yall right now.

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As a nurse, it sounds like you are doing everything for her you can at this point in time. Her time is short, so keep her comfortable, and since she does not speak you do not know she is in pain. Have the doctor order hospice and love her until her time comes. God bless you for all your loving care!

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As far nutrition if she will tolerate taking in more nutrients, the whey or rice protein isolates are great in smoothies. Everything my mom ingests is pureed so it's either a 'milkshake' or a 'soup' to her. I add a whole avocado, coconut oil, and fish oil and sometimes salmon or tuna, sometimes a little meat. Does your mom have health or digestive problems other than her Alz?

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In terms of alternative remedies, I use Calendula tincture from Herb Pharm, which works to heal the would from the inside out almost overnight, in some instances, and I use the curly gause for a light dressing so air can get to the wounds to form a scab. Some nurses in the hosp told me that getting air doesn't matter, but then the doctor agreed that it absolutely does for it to heal faster. I also alternate whether or not to elevate the heals because this can put more pressure on the areas that are affected on the hips.

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You might try medical-grade sheepskin pads. They have worked for me in preventing pressure and bed sores. Lying on medical sheepskins reduces pressure at the contact points, reduces friction and shearing forces which rub and tear the skin and prevents the build-up of skin moisture. Premium-grade sheepskin adds comfort and an improved feeling of well-being to those confined to a bed or wheelchair. I have no connection to sales or promotion of sheepskin products, but I do use them because of my mobility issues. Genuine, high-grade medical sheepskin is not cheap, but in my opinion, is worth the investment if it prevents the breakdown of skin. There are different varieties of medical sheepskin available, including products where incontinence is an issue. All sheepskins need to be cleaned using special detergent/conditions made specifically for sheepskin. My mother is also in the end stages of Alzheimer's so I understand some of the challenges you are facing. I hope this information is helpful to you.

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I give my mom alcohol baths every other day to prevent any bed sores, bruising, stiffing and it reduces her body aches. In her bath water, medium hot, I use body wash (olay, dove or sauve) and soap (olay or ivory) and green alcohol. I use a body sponge to wash her and I give a her good scrubbing, not to hard but enough to pentrate the spores. She loves it and she sleeps well too. Afterwards I lotion her from head to toe. I use a mixture I created myself years ago. Vaseline lotion (coco butter), and palmers body oil. her skin looks healthy and she looks younger than her age. She's 89 years old, in the middle stages og Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.

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Ok she is already with hospice so the NP needs to get her a low air loss mattress and protein powder, something like promod could be ordered twice a day its a solution you mix up and give by mouth plus multivitamin RoHO cushion for wheelchair... very concerning must be in pain Needs better treatment for wound protein helps with healing offload her heels with pillow and pillow between legs when on side.

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Anne Morrow has written excellent instructions for anyone caring for a terminally ill bed bound loved one.
The first thing to remember is that IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT if you have been following all the instructions given. People who have no experience of bed bound patients are very good at pointing the finger and saying the caregivers are negligent. Yes there can be negligence both at home and in healthcare facilities. But the original poster is doing all the right things and has the support of hospice. So everyone drop the guilt and make sure your loved one is given something to relieve the pain.

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Have them put the foam platform ar sl least a tooled up blanket under her ankles to lift her heels off of the mattress. My MIL hated all of the booties and uses the platform all the time. Prevention is better than cure. It takes months for the smallest sores to heal.

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Those air mattresses are not good, I don't care what they say. You need to ask for the GEL MATTRESS. It looks like egg crate but they resist calling it that for some reason. My MIL is bed ridden for the past year and she was having bedsores on her spine and hips. That had her on an air matter s and it wouldn't say inflated. I asked for egg crate and and they said they didn't have that. Finally hospice said they would order a gel mattress. When it got there it looked like egg crate. No problems ever since. It is shaped like egg crate but made of some special foam they call gel.

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Thank you alwayslearning. I have been all over the internet in the last couple days and it makes me feel worse. Keeps pointing a bedsore to lack of care. I wish there was more info about the bedsore that comes anyway - "despite excellent care."
Any comments about my worry that re-positioning is also traumatic to the skin...........so..........what to do for maximum comfort?

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Oh Marialake, that part of you that is yelling "failure" at you is the part that has been sticking up for maximum maximum maximum attention and care. "It" thinks it's job is to motivate you. But of course YOU have already been motivated. Don't take what it's saying at face value. Just say hello to it, and tell it it can ride along with you in your pocket as you go about doing everything that can reasonably be done. It's like a spectator at a race who has put a lot of money down on a particular runner, and is screaming from the sidelines. But the runner is the one doing the actual work, and she's fully occupied right now!

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I am struggling with the same problem. My MIL has been totally bed bound since Jan and her skin has perfect the whole time. Four days ago a red spot developed right at the tailbone area. I have been very diligent in all her care but this thing just blew up overnight. It is now blackish, red, open and growing!! I've had all the hospice people look at it and we are doing our best but they said that this may indicate end of life is nearing as her body is not getting as much nutrition (she has been eating less) and her vital organs are taking most of the blood flow. Forgive my layman's description.
I took very good care of her......including special mattress, bed, reposition, etc.
Our scenario is almost exactly like lindaz
Presently, I am trying to reposition my MIL etc but the whole process puts more stress on her skin. Just moving her position disturbs that already delicate broken area.
I truly care about her comfort.
What's the most comfortable thing to do?
After all these years of care..... I worked so hard to help her always and now I feel like a failure.

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My mom has started developing bedsores. Any ideas?

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